Tools

Dar He: The Story of Emmett Till

The murder of Emmett Till helped spark the American civil rights movement. On the morning of Aug. 28, 1955, in the town of Money, Mississippi, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam abducted, murdered and mutilated the body of 14-year-old Till. In September, an all-white jury acquitted the pair of the crime. Paying them the modern equivalent of $35,000, Look Magazine published detailed accounts of their confessions. In his searing solo documentary theater piece, Mike Wiley plays about 20 characters, including witnesses, law enforcement agents, family members, murderers and the journalist who brought their story to light. Wiley's deep research, razor-sharp editing and meticulous impersonations make Dar He his most dramatic, harrowing work to date. The full-length 90-minute work runs through Sunday, with a 50-minute school-age adaptation on Monday. Watch a video excerpt at bit.ly/DARHE.—Byron Woods